My Whole Heart
by FireAway17
Summary: Izzy cannot stop doing idiodic stuff- from falling for a patient to almost killing him in an attempt to save his life. But what if it was all worth it? What if Denny turned out to be exactly what was missing in her life?
1. Twenty Four Hours

I sat in the chair next to Denny's bed and held his large, limp hand. I haven't left this spot in probably about twenty-four hours, watching the various wires attached to his frail body that led into various machines keeping him alive to make sure they were doing their job. He had to make it through this.

"How's he doing?" A soft voice asked from the doorway. I turned to see Preston leaning against the door frame, surgical cap still tied around his head and his surgical scrubs stained with blood. _I hope he didn't lose someone because of me._

I nodded my head and looked at Denny. "BP is good, oxygen level has stabilized. I guess all we have to do now is make sure he doesn't reject it."

"Izzy," Preston took a few steps in the room and shut the door with a soft click. "I know that now is not the time, but I just want you to know that regardless of the amount of immaturity and stupidity you've shown, not to mention the countless ethical rules you broke in the last fourty eight hours, I'm turning in my recommendation for probation."

I searched his face for any hint of insincerity, but it wasn't there. I knew when I cut Denny's L-VAD that I would never practice medicine again, never hold a scalpel again, but the idea of Denny being okay outweighed my desire for any of that. "Why?" I asked in disbelief.

"Because you're a good doctor. And everyone deserves a second chance," he mumbled and turned toward the door. _Something must have happened between him and Christina._ I shook my head and pushed the thought away. I couldn't worry about my friends right now, Denny had to be my priority. "Page me when he wakes up." With that, Preston slipped out of the door, closing it with a soft click as he went.

When, not if. Preston was the best cadio surgeon there was, and if he was hopeful that Denny would be okay then I had no reason to not be. I took a deep breath to settle my nerves and gently slid on the side of the bed Denny wasn't occupying. Careful not to interfere with any wires, I wrapped my arm around him gently, laid my head on the pillow next to his, and inhaled his scent. _My Denny_. I don't know how long I had laid there when I felt, or thought I felt, him move slightly under my arm.

"I wouldn't mind waking up like this every morning," a gruff voice said from next to me.

I sat up quickly and slid out of bed. I had to make sure I didn't just dream that. "Denny?" I asked softly, looking down into his chocolate brown eyes which were, in fact, open and looking up at me.

"I knew you were into me." He smiled and motioned for me to come toward him.

"Do you need anything? How do you feel?" I asked as I poured some water into a cup and gave it to him. While he sipped on that, I paged Preston and began checking his machines and vitals.

"Other than hurting like a bitch, I feel great." He smiled. "Izzie." He grabbed my wrist gently to grab my attention. "I have a new heart."

I smiled and planted a kiss on his forehead. "You have a new heart."

A soft knock came from the door and Preston slid in, not waiting for an invitation, "How are you feeling, Denny?"

Denny smiled and nodded his head. "All things considered, I'm fantastic. All thanks to you two. You saved my life."

I shook my head at Preston, asking him to not tell Denny about the mess I had gotten myself into. Everything would sort itself out in one way or another and right now all of Denny's attention had to be on getting better.

"Well, if you don't reject the heart in the next twenty four hours I would say we're out of the woods," Preston leafed through Denny's chart while he talked. "But you're going to have a long recovery."

Denny nodded his head in understanding. "But I'm alive."

Preston smiled and shook Denny's hand. "But you are alive."

As doctors, we're always told to not show emotions around patients- trained specifically not to for this exact reason. But Denny's special, there's just something about him that gives you hope and makes you smile despite how hard you try not to. That's part of the reason I fell in love with him. With him, it didn't matter if I was a world renound surgeon or a waitress at Hooters because I knew I would be happy with Denny- a kind of happiness I had never felt before. _He'll be okay,_ I told myself as I slid back into my chair and grabbed his hand. _He had to be._


	2. Home

Another twenty four hours. Another sleepless night spent awake watching Denny's monitors and shooing away the nurses that came in. I could take care of him and no one else but Preston was going to touch him. So far, so good. Denny's vitals were stable and he was in good spirits, as always.

"Izzy, you don't have to keep watch over me 24/7. I'm sure you have other patients to take care of, not to mention yourself." Denny mumbled, his eyes not even open yet.

I shook my head and gently touched his hand. "You're my priority." His mouth turned up into a little smile and he opened his eyes. He was so handsome it hurt. He had no idea of the reprocussions I was facing for what I did to save him and if I had it my way, he wouldn't ever know. The Chief came in while Denny was sleeping to tell me that I had been fired and my medical license revoked, but I honestly didn't care. It just gave me more time to be with Denny.

"So, doc, when am I getting out of here?" Denny wrapped his hand around mine and tugged for me to come closer to him.

I slid on the edge of the bed and ran a hand through his hair. "They'll be in in a second to do rounds, I'm sure they'll give us some idea then."

As if on cue, Christina, Merideth, Preston, and Alex came in the room. Each looking from Denny to me, not hiding their concern.

"Why do they look so scared?" Denny asked, trying to be subtle but unable to hide his question in the tiny room.

"It's not you," I squeezed his hand. I knew they were concerned about me and if I was okay with the news the chief had delivered to me but in all honesty I didn't care at all. The concern written on my face was for the man I was falling in love with, not myself.

"Denny Douquette," Christina began to read off his chart. "Had a heart replacement two days ago, vitals completely stable for last two days."

"So what does that mean Doctor... Kerev." Preston looked around, trying to hide the smile that pulled the corners of his lips up.

Denny and I looked toward Alex, who was standing in the corner with his arms crossed. "Chances of rejection are low. You can go."

"I'm going home?" Denny's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Baby, I'm coming home!" He exclaimed and tugged at my hand. I gently leaned back and wrapped him in a big hug.

"Now, you'll need a nurse to come and check on you every day, maybe more if you don't have anyone to stay with you and help you through recovery." Preston looked at me when he said the last part.

"I'll be there," I said before Denny could say anything. The thought didn't occur to me that Denny might not even want me there until I glanced over at Merideth, who widened her eyes at me. I glanced down at Denny, who laid there looking at me with the biggest smile I think I've ever seen him have all over his face. "I'll take care of him."

"Good." Preston smiled and nodded his head. "I'll be in a little later today to give you both discharge instructions and you'll be all set to go." With that, he turned and walked out. Everyone followed but Alex, who stared at Denny with pure hatred before he stormed out of the room.

"Damn, I guess someone holds a grudge." Denny shrugged.

I slid into the small space next to Denny again and put my arm over his waist gently. Denny tried to lift his arm to hug me, but I stopped him before he could get too far. "You have to take it easy, Denny. No lifting your arms at all." Denny sighed and resigned to holding my hand. I put my head down on the pillow and the world completely slipped into darkness.

"No, let her sleep." I heard Denny say. I don't know how long I had been asleep, but I could tell that it had probably been a while since I didn't see any shadows through my closed eyelids. "She hasn't been getting much rest lately."

"Alright," Preston said softly. "I'm sure she knows this anyway. You _have_ to take it easy, Denny. This recovery will not be easy and it will be long, but if you follow what I'm saying and listen to Izzy, you'll get through this." I felt Denny nod in understanding. "She did something... so unselfish to save you. She sacrificed her career for you, so don't let her down."

"What do you mean?" Denny asked.

My eyes shot open before Preston could say another word. "Are we ready?" I asked, sliding out of the bed and slipping on my shoes.

"Not before you tell me what you did, Izzie." Denny looked at me, concern all over his face.

"I can't practice medicine anymore, Denny. I can't be a doctor anymore. But I don't care, so can we not talk about it?" I asked. I took the discharge papers from Preston and pretended to look through them.

"There's gotta be something I can do." Denny sighed, obviously guilt ridden. "Who can I talk to about this?"

Preston shook his head. "I'm afraid it's out of our hands."

"Look, I'm really fine. Let's just get you back on your feet," I walked back over to Denny and placed a kiss on his forehead. "It'll be okay."

"Izzy." He smiled and took my hand again. "Let's go home."

I smiled and squeezed his hand in reciprocation. "Let's go home."


	3. Okay

"Izzy!" Alex called from behind me as I wheeled Denny out of the hospital. I kept walking through the sliding glass doors and to my awaiting car.

"Izzie, at least give the guy a chance to talk." Denny said from in front of me.

I stopped his wheelchair by the passenger door and looked down at him. "You really want me to do that?"

Denny shrugged and glanced over to where Alex was standing. "I'm secure enough in my manhood to let you hear him out. Plus," he gestured down to the wheelchair. "I'm an invalid at the moment, i at least get the sympathy vote."

I rolled my eyes and kissed him on the head. "Lets at least get you in the car before you catch a cold." I helped Denny in the car and began to wheel the chair back toward the entrance.

"Can we talk, Iz?" Alex asked as I walked by him.

"Why Alex?" I stopped and crossed my arms. "You made it perfectly clear that if I chose him you didn't want me in your life and frankly you won't have to worry about it because I got fired."

"So that's it? You choose him?" Alex looked at me with pure hurt on his face. It broke my heart all at once, but I knew that Denny was the one I wanted, the one I _needed._ I love Alex, but he I know that he's just not right for me.

"Yes Alex! I thought I made that clear but if you need me to say it out loud then I will! I choose Denny!" I huffed and turned to walk away. Without warning, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me around to face him. Without hesitation, his lips met mine and his arms were around me. For a minute, I was lost in the heat of passion with Alex, until I realized that was all it was- passion. I pulled away and looked at him. "Goodbye, Alex." Huffing, I turned around and made my way over to my car where Denny was waiting.

"What was that?" He asked, eyebrows raised.

"I don't know, I guess he was trying to convince me to choose him." I shrugged and started the GPS to Denny's apartment. "Let's just get you home."

"Ozzie." Denny put a hand over mine as I put the car in gear. "It's okay if you're in love with him."

I looked up into Dennys big chocolate eyes. They were sincere and loving, full of concern for me. "I'm in love with you, Denny."

"Really?" A huge smile fashioned his face. "Damn, I knew that wheelchair turned you on."

I rolled my eyes and leaned over to kiss him over the glove compartment. "I love you Denny Douquette."

"I love you too, Izzy Stephens." He smiled. Neither of us noticed Alex still standing in the spot where I left him until it was too late. When my eyes met Alex's he turned swiftly and walked back in the hospital. "Ooops." Denny mumbled and we pulled out of the parking lot to start our new lives.


End file.
